Decent Chinese knives

Butch · **on:** October 30, 2018, 08:49:58 PM

I sell knives fleamarket style a few times a year. Most of what sells around here are the Chinese assisted openers, so that is what you will find the most of on my tables. I do handle some Buck, Case, & other name brands. But almost everything is Chinese. One brand that seems to be putting a lot of effort into becoming good stuff is Elk Ridge. They are using much better steel, the scale material seems to be high quality as well. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed the large jump forward this company is making.

AimlessWanderer · **Reply #1 on:** October 30, 2018, 09:40:18 PM

Quote from: Butch on October 30, 2018, 08:49:58 PM

I sell knives fleamarket style a few times a year. Most of what sells around here are the Chinese assisted openers, so that is what you will find the most of on my tables. I do handle some Buck, Case, & other name brands. But almost everything is Chinese. One brand that seems to be putting a lot of effort into becoming good stuff is Elk Ridge. They are using much better steel, the scale material seems to be high quality as well. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed the large jump forward this company is making.

A few years ago, I had a small Elk Ridge stockman. It was a very surprising little knife, and was much better than I'd expected it to be. The blades were very thin, and stockmans have too many blades for my liking, but it was a surprisingly well made little knife. I haven't handled anything from them recently.

Butch · **Reply #2 on:** October 31, 2018, 05:28:19 PM

I don't know if this is their design or someone else's but this is by far the best hobo I have ever seen.

https://www.amazon.com/Er-439w-Elk-Ridge-Folding-Camping/dp/B00HJ2CBP4

I think they are going to be a name brand that will compete with Buck & Case if they keep on the way they are doing now.

Alan K. · **Reply #3 on:** November 02, 2018, 03:21:50 AM

I do the same thing Butch. I succumbed to the late night infomercials back in 2011 and bought two grand worth of Frost knives. They paid for themselves long ago so I'm not out anything, and whatever I get now is profit, but I only sell a few knives a year and I won't feel completely vindicated from my family telling me I wasted my money until they are all gone. I fear I may be buried with them. However, aside from the really poor quality smurf, some of my Chinese knives have been of excellent quality.

gerleatherberman · **Reply #4 on:** November 02, 2018, 03:52:59 AM

My favorite knives are the newer CRKT models. The Klecker, Graphite, Ignitor, Ruger, Fossil, Tigh Rade, and many more are of fantastic quality. All made in China. Being made in China doesn't make a knife bad. Being made by unscrupulous companies makes knives bad.
Elk Ridge is definitely a good quality knife company. Similar to Rough Rider. RRs are some of the best value around in traditionals.

My only rule when selling any knives is that I only sell stuff I wouldn't have a problen with carrying/using myself.

Smashie · **Reply #5 on:** November 02, 2018, 05:20:02 AM

Another +1 for Rough Rider, the quality may be variable, but overall they're pretty well put together.

ChopperCharles · **Reply #6 on:** February 27, 2020, 05:51:11 AM

I have two Elk Ridge knives now, and I really like them. They look good, feel good, come sharp from the factory, don't cost a lot of money, and are great daily users.

I just got this one from eBay. Assisted opening Hunter with guthook. $12.51. It's sharp, well-balanced, has great lock-up, and it's a very solid, robust knife with really thick stainless liners.

Charles.

ChopperCharles · **Reply #7 on:** February 27, 2020, 07:48:09 AM

Here is my little elk ridge. I really like both of these knives. I’ve used this one to open package after package and it’s still sharp enough to cut receipt paper.

Last pic shows size comparison against a victorinox 91mm

Charles.

ChopperCharles · **Reply #8 on:** February 28, 2020, 03:40:24 AM

I swear those photos are rotated correctly on mobile...

Charles.

SteveC · **Reply #9 on:** February 28, 2020, 03:39:16 PM

Your pics look fine to me on desktop

rockysan · **Reply #10 on:** March 16, 2020, 07:17:15 PM

I have a Cima-1 fixed blade knife that I think was around $23.00 on Amazon. It looks like a RAT3 knockoff. It's hefty and seems well made, micarta handles and pretty sharp out of the box. I really haven't used it much. I have a good Gerber that I use when I go camping. I pretty much forgot I had it. Next camping trip it goes with me.

magentus · **Reply #11 on:** March 26, 2020, 12:23:32 PM

The SanRenMu 7010 is a cracking little knife - extremely well put together, great materials and quality through and through.

It's a clone of the Chris Sebenza 21 Small. I don't have one to compare but will gladly do so if someone wants to send me their spare one, after all they don't cost much do they?

Mechanickal · **Reply #12 on:** March 26, 2020, 12:48:48 PM

Maybe send me one like those over and I'll compare them here since I don't have a spare and you seem to...

Also because they aren't available here through knivesandtools :/ otherwise I'd have ordered one up already just out of curiosity.

magentus · **Reply #13 on:** March 26, 2020, 03:08:57 PM

So you want me to send you about 8% of my collection?

Here's a deal : I'll send you 8% of my collection if you send me 8% of your collection. Deal?

Mechanickal · **Reply #14 on:** March 26, 2020, 03:55:39 PM

Lol.
I'm doubting I can cram 10 knives into a standard small box...

Jors · **Reply #15 on:** August 04, 2020, 05:59:15 PM

I own several Chinese made knives. I have Elk Ridge, Wasp, Schrade Uncle Henry, Buck and one or two others as well.
The fact that a knive is made in Chana does not automatically make it junk.
The Buck Canoe is made in China and use a very slight softer steel than the usual Buck 420 HC steel. 420 HC from Buck is hardened and tempered at a different process. The knife is well made and I cannot complain at all.
Elk Ridge make neat knives from 440C stainless and I cannot complain regarding the workmanship at all. I have a Bowie and a small locking folder.
Wasp makes a decent locking folder as well. It is neatly finished off and there is no play at all.
The Schrade Uncle Henry is well made, with no play at all. It is of a good quality workmanship.
All wood in the traditional lockback folders are resin pregnated wood, called diamond wood, pakkawood or stabalized wood.
I will gladly recommend them (the names mentioned) as they also hold their cutting edge well and sharpen quite easily.

I purchase a new Buck 110 two weeks ago as I got hold of old stock (2015) at a price I could not let go. If not, I would have bought the Uncle Henry LB7, which is equal. Some of the USA, German or UK made knives are too expensive to buy. The $70.00 more for a brand name will not make them last so much longer than the wellmade China models.

I have a noname knive, made in Solingen, that I purchased in 1983. I suspect it may be a Wenger that were made as a cheapie. Until now I grounded the blade almost 2mm narrower. We all know that SAK knives do not use very hard steel. If they last so long, the Chinese models mention can also last more than 50 years of use with proper sharpening.

ReamerPunch · **Reply #16 on:** August 05, 2020, 12:00:29 AM

I thought we were past the "Chinese knives are bad" notion.

Is it still a thing people say?

I like my Sanrenmu and Roxon knives. Great quality, much better than the price would suggest.

mikekoz · **Reply #17 on:** August 05, 2020, 02:28:23 PM

Quote from: ReamerPunch on August 05, 2020, 12:00:29 AM

I thought we were past the "Chinese knives are bad" notion. Is it still a thing people say?

I like my Sanrenmu and Roxon knives. Great quality, much better than the price would suggest.

Depending on the forum you are on, the "Chinese knives are bad" notion is still alive and well, but most of the time, the person making the statement is not talking about the knife itself. Years ago I posted a question about a Chinese Schrade knife, and I was actually personally attacked just for owning the knife. One of the offenders, and I still remember his username, used bigoted and ignorant remarks in his posts, but said nothing about the knife itself, which he apparently had no experience with. I did not post on that forum for years after that. Sometimes the person cutting down Chinese knives throws politics in the mix also. If I wanted to read about politics ( I do not) I would go to a different forum. As far as Chinese knives go, they have come a long way over the last several years. I own a lot of knives from a lot of different places around the world, including China. I also own Roxon products and I find them to be on par with some of Gerbers and Leatherman's lower end products, and I actually find them superior to many SOG tools I own. I just bought a Phantom and it a nice, well made tool!

pomsbz · **Reply #18 on:** August 05, 2020, 04:27:02 PM

There is a list of WE knives that I'd love to buy if I had the cash.

Jim the Brave · **Reply #19 on:** February 09, 2021, 03:06:49 AM

I get tons of used Chinese knives in during my lot purchases....they sell well at the flea market, and surprisingly, to friends. I try to price the used knives of all descriptions at appropriate prices, and there end up being a lot of $2 and $3 knives sold. I say this with a Kershaw, two Schrades, and a Victorinox all on the desk here as I speak.